SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, Feb. 22 (EUROPE PRESS) –
The general secretary of the UGT, Pepe Álvarez, has revisited the island of La Palma to see first-hand the economic and social situation after the volcano crisis and highlighted the “resilience” of the palm tree citizens and their ability to recover after which is considered one of the greatest natural disasters experienced in Spain.
“There have been 84 days of pure hell that have been experienced on the Island and the economic, labor and social consequences have been devastating and now it’s time to demand that aid arrive effectively and that European funds serve to rebuild the business fabric of the Island,” said Pepe Álvarez.
The general secretary of UGT visited this morning the office of economic coordination and assistance to those affected by the volcano in Los Llanos de Aridane, where he was received by its coordinator, Sergio Matos Castro.
During the visit he was accompanied by Manuel Navarro, general secretary of UGT Canarias; Cristina Antoñanza, deputy general secretary; Rafael Espartero, deputy secretary general of organization; Mariano Hoya, deputy general secretary for trade union policy; Héctor Pérez, organizational secretary of UGT Canarias, and Lupe Parrilla, general secretary of UGT La Palma.
Pepe Álvarez highlighted the “reaction capacity” of the regional formation to immediately demand the linking of the ERTE to this exceptional case, beyond the limits and conditions established by COVID-19. “It was necessary to establish this difference and that it be recognized precisely to prevent workers, whose jobs were literally swallowed by the lava, from seeing themselves helpless in an unexpected situation,” he added.
